Today in 2013, US Patent 20130327064 A1 was issued, an invention of Thomas C. Stein, for his “End Table with Concealed Built-In Refrigerator.” Here’s the Abstract:

An end table with a concealed built-in refrigerator unit for use next to a chair, sofa, or bed with a front door that opens down like a dishwasher door for easy access to the interior compartment of the refrigerator unit to retrieve canned and bottled beverages or food, while in a seated position. The built-in refrigerator of the end table has a thermoelectric Danby Diplomat type cooling system for maximum efficiency in cooling and whisper soft operation.

I’m not sure why this patent was granted, such end tables have been around for at least a few years, if not longer. I wrote about ManTables’ End Table Refrigerators five years ago, and this was patented two years back. There’s also another Man Tables – Mini Fridge End Tables for sale that looks remarkably like the drawings filed with the patent application.

But a quick Google search reveals quite a few similar, but distinctly different, designs for refrigerator end tables. Here’s one that’s at least similar to the patented design.

And here’s another one that has more of side door instead of folding down from the top, and also includes an actual working drawer.